


43 Reasons

by bcnedrah



Category: Shadowhunters (TV), The Shadowhunter Chronicles - All Media Types, The Shadowhunter Chronicles - Cassandra Clare
Genre: Alternate Universe - Celebrity, Alternate Universe - Human, Angst, Bad Parent Maryse Lightwood, Bad Parent Robert Lightwood, Beginning Magnus/Camille, Camille has no redemption arc here, Depictions of crime scenes, Depictions of dead bodies, Emotional Abuse, Emotional Manipulation, End game Magnus/Alec, F/M, Friends to Lovers, Hurt/Comfort, M/M, Murder Mystery, Slow Build, Slow Burn, bad coming out experiences, extremely slow burn!
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-01-18
Updated: 2018-03-20
Packaged: 2019-03-06 08:00:39
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 5
Words: 18,897
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13406907
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/bcnedrah/pseuds/bcnedrah
Summary: Alec Lightwood and Magnus Bane have inadvertently become the “IT couple” of LGBT+ movie directors ever since they both starred as lovers in the widely popular “Mortal Instruments”. Their friendship off-camera has developed a following as well. As Magnus and he begin filming their newest movie, “43 Reasons”, Alec can’t help but begin to wonder - when did he stop acting when it came to falling in love with Magnus?





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> WARNING: This chapter will deal with a very public outing of a gay character and subsequent repercussions.

Alec Lightwood’s phone buzzed on the weight bench next to him. He glanced down at the caller ID while he focused his breathing to push through the last part of his workout on a weight resistance machine. He wondered what his agent, Lydia Branwell, could be contacting him about now. Feeling his biceps and triceps tremble and burn at the force it took to pull the machine’s arms closed in front of him, Alec hissed as he exhaled, arms easing the weights back before letting them drop with a dull clank. He reached for his water bottle and towel to the side of the machine, letting Lydia’s call go to voicemail. Shooting a stream of water down the back of his throat and wiping away sweat and water with the towel across his face, he looked around the home gym in his Hollywood Hills home. 

On the floor mats to his left, his best friend and self-proclaimed brother, Jace Wayland, was doing a pushup routine using free weights, while his sister, Isabelle Lightwood, was on the elliptical machine to his right watching the latest celebrity fashion commentary on E! from the TV hanging on the wall. 

“...and the stars will be out tonight, Ryan! We are expecting to see some truly fashion-forward attire at tonight's …”   


Alec blocked out the drone of the TV as he pushed off the bench and made his way over to the rack of free weights in front of a mirrored wall. Setting his gear on the floor out of the way and picking up a set of weights, he began to mentally count out his reps for bicep curls. He was into his second set when his phone began to buzz again. 

“Hey Alec,” Izzy called out, “aren’t you going to answer that.”

Alec cursed internally as he lost count. “Answer what, Izzy?” Alec gritted through his teeth, choosing to be blatantly obstinate.

“Your ultimate calling,” she retorted, equally sarcastic. “Your phone, you dork.”

Alec let the call go to voicemail once more. “It’s Lydia. She knows I’ll get back to her.” 

Both Izzy and Jace paused in their workouts as they stared at their brother as if he had grown a second head. 

“Alec, seriously, answer the phone,” Jace said as he pushed sweaty, blonde clumps out of hazel eyes that had a streak of blue in the left eye. “ If not to stop the buzzing, then to stop-” he broke off as his phone starting buzzing. Stretching over to grab his phone from the floor, he answered with a groan and false bravado, “Lydia, how are you this fine day.”   


“Give the phone to Alec,” came the blunt reply from the other side of the line.

“‘Why Hello, Jace. It’s quite a lovely day. How are you? Have you happened to see your brother recently?’,”Jace quipped in a falsetto voice, prompting Lydia’s side of the conversion in feigned civility. 

Lydia sighed into the receiver. “Alec, Jace. Now.”

Jace held out his phone to Alec with a wry grin. Alec returned the weights to the rack with pursed lips, knowing that the next course of action for Lydia would be showing up unannounced at the front door. Snatching the phone out of Jace’s outstretched hand, he released a sigh. “Lydia.”

“Alec,” she replied. “I need you to come into my office this afternoon. There’s been a new batch of scripts dropped off for your review. Some of which have strict timelines for replying.”

Alec wiped at the sweat dripping into his eyes. “Can’t you bring them here?”

“Hmm, normally I would, but unfortunately I don’t have the availability today.” Lydia didn’t even sound remorseful. In fact, Alec could hear the clacking of her keyboard over the phone as she multitasked. “And some need an answer by first thing tomorrow morning.”   

Alec glanced at the clock, noticing how late in the afternoon it had gotten. He mentally calculated how long it would take for him to shower and get to Lydia’s office. There was no way he was going to avoid hitting rush hour traffic by this point. “I’ll be there in a couple of hours.”

Lydia hummed in acknowledgement. “Alec,” she added before hanging up the phone, “make it an hour.”

* * *

Alec’s hair was still damp, but combed back out of his eyes, when he stepped foot into Idiris Entertainment Agency an hour later. The marble white floors of the lobby and gold pillars that lined the walls belied the prestige of being one of the largest entertainment talent agencies in the Los Angeles area. Alec bypassed the front desk for the elevators, waving at the receptionist, Lyndsey, who was directing several phone calls. Pressing the call button, he could feel the stares and hear the whispers as people moved about their business behind him. 

Once the doors opened to an empty elevator, Alec jabbed the button for the correct floor. As the doors closed and no one entered behind him, he let himself relax against the wall, closing his eyes and releasing a deep sigh. He knew he should be used to the whispers by now. He was the first born son of Hollywood’s former golden couple, Robert and Maryse Lightwood. He’d developed his own fan-base and popularity on the teen comedy TV show, Ricki’s Default Life as Ricki’s love interest before landing a leading role in indie rom-com against the leading teen actress of the day. But that had all been before he had been outed as being gay by a conniving paparazzi photog. 

He and another male actor, who had been filming on the same studio lot, had been laughing and hanging out against their trailers in between takes when a photographer taking a series of photos of them leaning in for a shy kiss was all it took for Alec to be shoved out of the closet. And quite publicly. The resulting fallout between him and his former agency, Circle Talent, had been brutal to the then barely legal adult. He could still remember when he had been called in to speak with his now-former manager, Hodge Starkweather. 

_ “Hodge?” Alec asked hesitantly as he knocked on his agent’s office door. “You asked for me to come in?” _

_ “Ahh, yes, Alec.” Hodge, who looked more like a librarian than a major talent manager, swiveled in his office chair to face Alec. “Sit down, would you, Mr. Lightwood.” _

_ Alec had never liked when Hodge referred to him by his last name, as it usually meant there was some sort of trouble involved. But given the photos circulating on tabloid covers that morning, Alec knew he did deserve Hodge’s disappointed tone. Licking his lips nervously, Alec sat in one of the two chairs in front of Hodge’s desk.  _

_ Folding his hands on the desk, Hodge turned a steely gaze on the young man in front of him. "I’ll be blunt, Mr. Lightwood. Officially, the agency will be putting you on ice. Unofficially, Neither I nor Circle Talent will be representing you anymore." _

_ Hodge didn't even bother acting as if he hadn’t just delivered what was essentially a career deathblow to Alec. The older man had been with Alec every step of his career. Had been there through every step of his parents career. And yet he couldn't represent him anymore? _

_ "I-, I don't understand, Hodge," Alec's voice caught in his throat, feeble and stretched thin. "You're- You're my manager. Why can- wouldn’t you represent me anymore?" _

_ “You, Mr. Lightwood, broke your morality clause. Not only with Circle Talent, but with Ricki’s Default Life and Teen Now Network as well, by being caught in the act of engaging in immoral sexual activities. Teen Now has decided to separate themselves from the scandal surrounding you and write off your character. There’s not even a need for you to come in and film any final scenes. _

_ "Thanks to that paparazzo, everyone knows that you're gay," he explained dully as if he was merely commenting on the gray clouds outside the window. Tossing a bored expression the boy's way, he continued. "Or at least not totally straight. No one will hire you now. No one wants to hire a gay actor. It's quite sad. You had every possibility of becoming the next leading man." _

_ "But I could still-" _

_ Hodge snorted, not even bothering to let Alec finish. Waving him off, he said, "No one would care. Behind every girl you'd kiss on screen, they'd know off screen you're kissing a boy. The teenage girl fantasy on which our industry - and your career - is built upon is... caput." His hands mimicked a small explosion with small, sad expression. Turning to check the clock, Hodge tsked as he realized the time. "And I have another appointment. I do believe you know where the door is, Mr. Lightwood. Please kindly see yourself out." _

_ Alec sat the in mute shock for a moment. The one person he thought that could help him with this situation was throwing him out into the figurative streets. Clenching his jaw and fists at his side, he was determined not to cry not to cry in front of the man he had considered to be like family. Resoundly, he made his way out of the office. As he passed through the crowded hallway, a mix of hopefuls staring wide-eyed in wonder and now former co-workers who dared not look him the eye lest they too sink to his level, he straighten his spine. He was Alexander Lightwood. And like his mother liked to say, Lightwoods broke noses and apologized for them later. _

His parents certainly hadn’t broken any noses for the sake of their son, choosing to distance themselves in order to save their images from being publically plastered over the entertainment magazine. In order to keep Alec from influencing his younger siblings privately, Robert and Maryse Lightwood began to create separate living schedules for the household - one for Alec and one for everyone else. For Alec, who was extremely close to his siblings, Izzy and Max, to be told he was considered a bad influence to them had been devastating. And to top it all off, the boy who had kissed him had spun the media coverage to make it seem as if Alec had been the one to initiate the kiss and came out of the mess scotch-free as a media darling.

His saving grace had been Lydia. She had been a child actor like himself, but quickly figured out she had more of a knack for talent management rather than acting. When she found out that Alec was a free agent, she had quickly came in and snatched him up. 

“We’re rebranding your image,” she told him as he sat in her closet-sized office, emotionally and mentally bruised and battered by everything that had happened to him in the recent events. She waved a hand to a pile of industry magazines that littered her desk, his image blazoned on the covers.  “You’re no longer a teenager. You’re an adult with your own decisions, as made known with all of this mess. I’m going to be sending you on some auditions for roles that Hodge would never even touch. They may be a little out there, but I need you to trust me.”

And that was how Alec ended up auditioning for and winning the role of Kevin, a half-angel, half-human demon hunter who was battling his sexuality and starting a relationship with a 500+ year old male warlock by the name Godfrey in the movie The Mortal Instruments. What he was sure to be a campy C-list movie ended up being the summer blockbuster of the year and became serialized, signing Alec on as Kevin for five more movies. As Lydia had calculated, the movie series re-branded Alec as an A-List actor. It also gave him the income to move out of his parents house and into a small house on the outskirts of Los Angeles. Multiple directors and casting producers began to reach out to him regarding roles rather than him having to audition for them. He had learned never to doubt Lydia’s decisions ever again.

As the elevator doors pinged to announce he had reached his floor, he pulled himself out of his past and into the present. He made his way to Lydia’s office, which was no longer a closet bypassing as an office, but a full fledged executive suite with a wall of windows overlooking downtown LA. Which Lydia was currently pacing in front of on her cell phone, arguing with whoever was on the other line. 

Lydia was nothing if not professional in her appearance and manners, to Alec’s everlasting thanks. Her blonde bangs were braided back into a tight ponytail with nary a strand loose. Her piercing blue eyes, sculpted eyebrows, sharp cheekbones, and full lips painted in an iconic burnt red were always in a constant state of calm and composure no matter what the situation thrown at her. Her usual attire of fitted blazers, tank top, and dark, slim pants were more of an armor than the practical style choices that she played them to be. Alec wouldn’t have anyone else fighting for him; he had seen many a movie producer back down from trying to lowball him during discussions for a role simply from Lydia leveling her gaze upon them. 

She nodded to Alec and waved to a set of chairs in front of her desk, rolling her eyes as the phone call continued. Alec settled himself in one of the chairs, grinning to himself as Lydia reminded him of a general barking orders.Despite Lydia’s unshakable demeanor, he knew that underneath her facade was a gentle and caring soul, as noted by the antique, canary yellow diamond ring on her left hand. The diamond was currently on display as it sparkled in the afternoon light as Lydia pinched the bridge of her nose in frustration.

“Have the paperwork to me within the hour or kiss the star of your show goodbye.” Alec could hear the panicked voice on the other end get cut off as Lydia hung up the phone. 

“Producers,” she explained on a tired sigh, lifting her eyebrows to punctuate her meaning, as she turned her attention to Alec. She walked over to her desk and folded her fingers, steepling her forefingers, as she contemplated the man in front of her. “Alec.”

“Lydia,” Alec responded impartially.

“You didn’t answer my phone call.”

Alec shrugged as if it didn’t matter. “I was in the middle of my work out.” 

Lydia narrowed her eyes at him before pushing a stack of scripts with notes attached in front of him. “Keep them in this order. The top is the most time sensitive, the bottom the least.”

He thumbed through the top script. “And of level of interest?”

She didn’t bother to answer his question. “As always, you are bound by strict confidentiality of any material and contents found in these.” 

Alec hummed in agreement, well aware of the standard protocols of the industry he worked in. Leaning back, he studied Lydia. “So, is there a reason we couldn’t discuss these at my house like we normally do?”

Lydia’s phone buzzed on the desk next to her. Glancing at the message, she quickly cleared the notification. Turning her attention back to Alec her demeanor changed from staunch manager to giddy school girl. Nibbling on her lower lip to bite back a smile, which she completely failed at doing, she unleashed her excitement at Alec. “John’s taking me to The Rossendale Restaurant!”

Alec chuckled in camaraderie at the sight of Lydia stamping her feet in excitement, her whole body vibrating with glee. Placing her palms flat on the desk conspiringly, she leaned forward as if to whisper a great secret. “Did you know they have a photograph of my great-grandfather, Henry Branwell, from the grand opening of the restaurant on the wall?” Alec shook his head fondly, well aware of Lydia’s fascination with her great-grandfather, an actor from the Golden Age of Hollywood in the late 1930’s. “Well, they totally do. And John’s convinced the manager to sit us at the booth in front of the photo!”

“Congratulations,” Alec said somberly with a nod of his head .

Lydia narrowed her eyes at him. “Whatever. Don’t act like you wouldn’t freak out as well.”

“Well your great-grandfather was a very handsome man,” Alec conceded.

Lydia shook in her shoulders in disgust at that. Shaking a finger at Alec, she said, “No sexualizing my great-grandfather. Ew.”

Alec threw back his head and laughed. “Did you really think I would?”

“You, yes. If only to annoy me.” 

“You’re the only woman in my heart, Lydia.” Alec crossed his hands earnestly above his heart.

“Right behind Izzy,” Lydia deadpanned. Alec shrugged his shoulders as if to say ‘What can you do?’. Lydia waved her hand, clearing the air of friendly frivolity, bringing the two of them back to business. Tapping a finger on the scripts to refocus Alec’s attention, she said, “Read all of these tonight. Let me know which ones you’re interested in first thing in the morning.”

Alec nodded and stood up. Lydia placed the scripts into an IEA branded messenger bag and came around her desk, shoving the messenger bag into Alec’s arms and pushing him toward the door. “Now out. I’ve got a date to prepare for.”

The command was given with a smile, which Alec returned. Shouldering the bag, he waved behind him as he made his way out to the elevator.

* * *

Alec dumped the scripts on his coffee table, heading to the kitchen to grab a beer from the fridge. Popping the top off, he contemplated the pile as he pulled a drag of  beer from the bottle. 

"It's not going to read itself," he muttered, shaking his shoulders and twisting his neck in preparation for a long night of reading. Plopping down on the couch, he pulled the first script off the top of the pile and began reading.

An hour and a half later and a growing pile of discarded scripts, Alec was aghast at the script in his hands. How the hell did Lydia think he would even consider something like this? Sure he was a popular choice for gay characters ever since he "came out", but to be considered for a bad rendition of Pennywise and Jeff Dahmer's love child? No thank you.

Alec tossed the script to the reject pile, having to shake off the need to go take a shower to wash him clean of the script. Shuddering, he reached for the next one, taking a fortifying sip of beer as he read Lydia's note.  _ Not your usual, but something tells me you'll like this one. They want you for Carver, but check out Monroe instead. _

Alec shrugged and flipped back the title page, scanning the script. It was a murder mystery, much different from the normal LGBT+ scripts that came his way. As he scanned down the page, he had to grimace at the summary of Carver.

“An effeminate bartender at a high-profile, socialite bar that is known for slaying as well as breaking balls," Alec read out loud, having to force himself from gagging. Carver, he quickly decided, was every gay trope rolled into one. And a character he wanted to avoid at all cost.

Reading on, he searched for the character summary for Monroe. A detective returning to the force after a mental breakdown in the field. The first case that lands on his desk is the dead body of an unknown female. The scene consisted of Monroe interrogating Carver, the bartender to last serve the victim. The more Alec read of Monroe, the more the character came to life in his head. He didn't care if the casting director wanted to go another direction - this role was meant to be his. 

Digging his phone out of his pocket, he pushed the speed dial for Lydia's number. Ever the professional, she answered on the third ring, slightly out of breath. "This is not the first thing in the morning, Alec."

"Tell him to go away," came John's muffled response, close enough to the receiver for it to be obvious that Alec had definitely interrupted something.

"Monroe," he said, getting right to the point. "I want to audition for him. Set it up with the producer."

He could hear Lydia sigh as she mentally calculated which script he was talking about. "They're going to try to push you toward Carver, you do realize this?"

"I don't care. I want the role of Monroe. Tell them I'll audition for Monroe and nothing else."

"Fine," Lydia caved. "I'll, uh, I'll call them first, first thing in the morning."

"Sounds good," Alec replied, slightly squeamish at the catch in Lydia’s voice. "I'll talk to you in the morning." In a louder voice he added, "Bye John!"

John's reply consisted of turning the phone off while Lydia half-complained in the background. 

Alec set the script aside, glancing back at the working title, "43 Reasons". He had a good feeling about this one.

The next morning Lydia called bright and early. 

"This is revenge on me interrupting you, isn't it?" Alec groaned into the pillow. When he had cracked an eye to see what time it was, he felt like crying when he saw the clock flash 5:45 AM back at him. 

"Good Morning Alec." Lydia had obviously had coffee and a good night as her voice was chirpy as it was devious. "Who has the best agent in the world?"

"I do?" Alec reasoned, turning onto his back and staring at his ceiling as he waited for Lydia to get to the point. 

"Yes, Yes you do," she replied, "because you now have an audition for the part of Monroe instead of Carver."

Alec shot up at that. "They agreed?"

"They agreed."

"You're amazing, Lydia!" 

"I may be an amazing agent, Alec, but it is now your job to be the amazing actor that you are and land the role." 

Alec could tell there was a hidden catch based on her voice. "But..."

"But," she added, "you need to be aware if you do land the role they have been shopping around for one of the other main protagonists."

"And..." Alec waved his hand, despite Lydia not being able to see it.

"And the screenwriter is determined to have Magnus Bane as one of the main protagonists, specifically playing opposite of Carver, possibly as a love interest." Alec could hear the wince in her voice as she delivered the news. 

"Of course,” he groaned, falling back onto his pillow.

Magnus Bane was a favored LGBT+ actor and Alec loved working on projects with Magnus, he did. But ever since they were first cast as Kevin and Godfrey in the movie Mortal Instruments, directors galore had it in their heads that the two of them were the couple to represent the LGBT+ community. He had hoped that with this next project to show his acting skills away from Magnus. Not to say Magnus was a bad actor. In fact he was an amazing actor - able to show a variety of emotions on his face with the barest of movements, all without speaking a word. That aspect of Magnus's acting had spurred Alec when he was younger to be that much better, to stand out next to Magnus. Magnus made him a better actor, but Alec was ready to test his acting skills outside of being Magnus Bane’s lover.

"The good news is that your characters won't fall in love in this however," Lydia interrupted his thought process. 

"Wait, what?""

"The two of you won't fall in love," Lydia repeated. "Or at least, not to my knowledge. The producers are aiming to have Magnus play Beau, the main suspect in killing the victim. There's no romantic plot between Beau and Monroe. You may have to act out a hetero romance plot - that's still up in the air as parts of the script is still being written. Remember, there's no guarantee that Magnus is going to take the part."

"Magnus or no," Alec decided. "Monroe belongs to me."


	2. Chapter 2

Time, Magnus thought as he watched his olive stem swirl around the rim of his martini glass, was a fickle thing. Taking a sip of his drink, he focused on the burn of the gin sliding down the back of his throat as he stepped out onto his patio, surveying the hills of Hollywood. It was almost too serene of a scene for him, so used to the noise of New York City. He missed it, Magnus decided. New York didn’t allow you to feel lonely, not unless you wanted to be.

But here, in LA, he felt lonely. His social network  was much smaller here and it allowed for him to spend too much time in his own head. The silence of the rented condo behind him felt like the monster that would hide in your closet as a child, as each step that echoed throughout the loft reminded him that he was alone. Magnus had never been for one for being alone. A long string of lovers and one-night stands - men and women - could attest to that.

But right now he wasn’t wishing for a lover, but a partner. Someone who would wrap their arms around him, a laughing voice to pull him out of his head and argue about where the mess of items packed away in boxes, stacked in - what he presumed might as well be - his living room, should go. Someone to take on this crazy adventure that was Los Angeles with him. 

But for now, he thought as he took another sip of his martini, he remained alone. Shaking his head to try and clear the morose from setting in, he moved to the first tower of boxes. It was times like these that he wished he could channel his character Godfrey’s warlock powers to do the unpacking for him. He waved his hand a few times at the boxes, willing them to unpack themselves. When they chose to remain unchanged, Magnus huffed out his disappointment, causing his bangs to dance in the air for a moment.

Setting his glass on a box at random, he began to attack the first box in front of him, ripping off packing tape and pulling things out to find new homes for them. A box of clothes was followed by kitchenware, a hidden potted cactus was found wrapped inside the bathroom towels, throw pillows were tossed on the still plastic wrapped couch as they were unearthed, and photo frames wrapped in newspaper were laid against walls or set on tables in a jumble of smiling faces staring out at him. 

As the afternoon light began to fade, Magnus deemed that he had made enough progress to reward himself with dinner out. The fact he hadn’t gone grocery shopping yet was completely another issue. Flipping through his phone’s contacts, he racked his brain on who might be on the west coast at the moment. When his thumb hovered over A. Lightwood, Magnus gnawed his lip for a moment. While he and Alec got along great on the sets of the movies that they worked on together, they had rarely spent time together outside of set. Home bases on opposite sides of the country and mutual hectic work schedules were to account for much that, but they still kept in contact over social media, providing witty quips and casual support for each other’s projects.

Deciding to say screw it to the nervous voice inside his head, he pressed the call button and put the phone on speaker.  The call rang a couple of times before Alec picked up with a blunt, “Hello.”   


“Alexander,” Magnus replied in a cheerful tone.

“Oh, um, hey Magnus.” Magnus tried to ignore the distracted tone in Alec’s voice. It sounded like there was a lot of background noise and that Alec was on speaker as well, a change for the younger man. “What’s up?”

“Well, I’ve just moved to the Los Angeles area and was wondering if you wanted to go out for a drink sometime?”

“Uh, yeah, that sounds good.” Alec’s reply was quickly followed by what sounded like a car horn followed by a hushed curse underneath his breath.

“Alexander? Did I catch you at a bad time?” Magnus quirked his eyebrow in concern.

“Yeah, sorry. Now’s not a really good time for me,” came Alec’s flustered response. “Driving.”

“Don’t worry, I understand,” Magnus replied fondly. “Rain check?”

“Yes!” Alec voice was much more excited at that idea, before adding much more cautiously, “Is that okay?”

“Yes, Alexander, it’s fine,” Magnus assured. “Drive safely.”

“You, too,” Alec replied before Magnus’s cell phone beeped to announce the call had ended.

Sighing, Magnus continued scrolling through his contacts. Catarina was still in New York and would snap his head off if he disturbed her at work. Jem was with Tessa in London. He was under strict instructions not to contact Ragnor, Magnus’s long time friend and agent, for the next 48 hours as they had dealt with each other too much in the older man’s opinion during the move. He almost scrolled past Raphael’s name, so close to Ragnor’s in his contact list. Without a second thought, he called the young man who was like a brother to him.

“What do you want, Bane?”

Magnus chose to ignore Raphael’s clipped greeting. “Why my dear Raphael, I’ve officially moved to LA.”

“Move back to New York. Now.”

“Is that your way of telling me ‘This town isn’t big enough the both of us, partner.’?” Magnus drawled out the last word in a bad rendition of a Western cowboy. 

A small huff came over the line. “I would prefer not to be blinded by the atrocities of whatever costume that you try to pass of as fashion. You’re a walking public embarrassment, Bane.”

“Those atrocities, as you call them,” Magnus clarified, “are 100% silk crafted by some of the finest Italian designers. So much better than that funeral attire you pass off as a suit. Some days I swear I am standing next to a walking, talking corpse.”

“Whatever,” scoffed Raphael. “Why are you calling me? Did Ragnor ban you for contacting him again?”

Magnus pulled back his phone to look at the screen in disbelief, before answering, “Can’t I want to meet up with an old friend?”

“Only unless it benefits you in some way,” Raphael quipped. He muttered something that Magnus couldn’t catch, but then said louder, “Taki’s cafe. One hour.”

“I’ll see you there.”

* * *

“So, hermano,” Raphael remarked, leaning back against the cafe chair as he folded his menu, “what brings you to Los Angeles?”

“The same as anyone, I suppose,” Magnus mused as he looked over the menu. “The bright lights of Hollywood.”

“Also known as Ragnor is making you live in LA during the screen test and pilot season,” Raphael replied.

Magnus snapped and pointed a finger in his direction without looking up. “Bingo.”

“Raphael, is that you?” came an inquiring feminine voice from behind them. 

Both men turned to see a young woman leaning against the cafe’s patio gate with a friendly grin. Magnus instantly became intrigued by the woman, her long blonde hair and sparkling green eyes reminding him of the Birth of Venus. There was a gleam of something mischievous in her eyes that called out to him. 

“Camille,” Raphael acknowledged her with a clipped nod of his head. 

“Raphael.” Camille mimicked Raphael’s blunt introduction with a flip of her hair. “And who’s your friend?”

“Yes, Raphael,” Magnus added, “please introduce us.”

Raphael crossed his arms over his chest with a dramatic sigh. “Camille, Magnus. Magnus, Camille. Now that everyone knows each other,” he settled a deadpanned look at Camille, “what are you doing here, Camille?”

“Grabbing a bite to eat after shooting, just like you,” she retorted. Turning to Magnus, she supplied with a grin, “The salads here are to die for.”

“Really?” Magnus propped his arm on the table, leaning closer to her. “You know, Raphael and I haven’t ordered yet. Why don’t you join us?”

“Magnus!” Raphael hissed, but the other man waved him off.

“Are you sure?” Camille asked.

Responses of “Of course!” and “No!” rang out in the air.

Magnus gave Raphael a pointed look, who backed down with a sigh. Grinning, Magnus turned back to Camille. “Of course, we’re sure. Please, join us.”

Camille pushed off the cafe gate with a small smile to herself, making her way to the entrance. When she was out of sight, Raphael glared at Magnus. “What was that all about?”

“Oh come now, Raphael,” Magnus said, “interesting people like that do not simply drop out of the sky every day. How could I let this opportunity pass me by?” He turned his attention to the patio entrance where Camille stepped out. Standing up, Magnus pulled out the chair to his right for her. “Madame.”

Camille was taken aback for a moment at Magnus’s chivalry, but gave him a smile and a small nod of thanks. As Magnus settled back into his seat, she turned to Raphael. “Raphael, you never let em know you were friends with such a gentleman.”

Raphael scoffed at the grin she threw Magnus. Resting her chin in her palm, she tapped a blood-red, manicured nail on her cheek as she looked Magnus over. “Your face looks so familiar to me, Magnus, as if I knew you in another life. Raphael, what did you say his last name was again?”

“I didn’t,” he replied sullenly.

“Bane. Magnus Bane at your service,” Magnus supplied. “Miss…?”

“Belcourt,” she replied with a charming grin, relaxing toward Magnus before her eyes widen comically. “Magnus Bane of the Mortal Instrument series!”

“Guilty as charged,” he claimed as he took a sip of his drink. 

“But, wait,” she said, pointing a finger between Magnus and Raphael, “how do you two know each other?”

Magnus leaned back in his chair, contemplating Raphael across the table, glass still in hand. “Raphael was a bit of a … protege of mine, if you will, back in New York.” Tossing a saucy smile at Camille, he added, “I discovered him, you know.”

“I never was, nor will I ever be, your protege,” Raphael countered in a deadpanned tone. “And you did not discover me. Ignore him. He’s prone to exaggeration.”

Magnus’s response was cut short by the waiter’s appearance, quickly taking their orders and menus. As the waiter headed back to the kitchen, Magnus turned to Camille. “So you now know how I know Raphael, but how do you know him?”

“La Pasion Inmortal,” Camille pronounced the telenovela title in a husky voice meant for the bedroom. A shiver of interest that ran down Magnus’s spine to match the slow burning fire in Camille’s gaze. Camille tossed her hair over her shoulder with a gay laugh. “Raphael plays a marvelous, ruthless corporate villain who is planning a coup against my lover, played by Ralf Scott.”

Magnus toasted Raphael with his glass. “Why Raphael, I didn’t know you had it in you.”

Raphael hummed in agreement. “Yes, but what she isn’t telling you is that she is my older half-sister, conceived in France after my father’s illicit affair during a European backpacking tour from where he got drunk and cheated on his college sweetheart. Father dear came back and married mother without uttering a word of his affair. And now my dear half-sister is back to lay claim not only her lover’s empire, but mine as well."

Magnus took in Camille’s nonchalant face before applauding her. “I’m sure your performance will leave me enraptured, Ms. Belcourt.”

Camille raised her water glass to tap against Magnus’s, grinning smugly around the rim when she took a sip. The three began to segue their conversation to lighter topics such as to which restaurants Magnus should check out, best places to shop to outfit his new apartment, and the hidden jewels of to help actors be red-carpet ready. When their food had been consumed and they each needed to head their separate ways, Magnus deemed they needed to commemorate the evening with a photo. They flagged their waiter down to take a photo, Magnus hauling a protesting Raphael into the photo via his chair and draping an arm around the back, Camille leaning into Magnus’s side, allowing him to breath in the pleasant jasmine fragrance of her perfume wafting up from her hair.  Smiling as the waiter snapped off a series of photos with Magnus’s cell phone, Magnus thanked the man profusely when his cell phone was returned and asked for one check, ignoring the protests of his companions.

“Please,” Magnus waved them off, “my treat. The two of you saved me from dining alone tonight. The least I can do is pay for dinner.” 

When Magnus and Raphael waved goodbye to Camille as her ride vanished into LA traffic, Raphael turned to Magnus. “Be careful, Magnus. Camille is more dangerous than she looks. There is a reason she can play her character so well.”

“Nonsense, Raphael.” Magnus waved the younger man’s concerns off. “Our Ms. Belcourt just proved she is as lovely off screen as she is on screen.”

“Our Ms. Belcourt, Magnus?” Raphael teased, his voice rising indignantly at that with a raised eyebrow. Walking backwards down the sidewalk toward his car, he raised a hand waving goodbye.

Magnus rolled his eyes, but gave Raphael a mock salute in goodbye as well.  

  
  
  


When his phone woke him up before his alarm the next morning, he was tempted to curse whoever was on the other line. When the caller id flashed My Little Cabbage at him, he let out a string of curses anyway. 

“I believe this breaches the 48 hour ban of no contact, Ragnor,” Magnus grumbled as he answered the call. 

“As your friend, the ban is still in effect. As your manager, I am duty bound to contact you regarding the matter at hand,” the older English gentleman stated.

“So mysterious, my little cabbage.”

“Call me your little cabbage again and I’ll call these people and tell them to never work with you. You’re highly unprofessional and difficult to work with.”

“No you won’t,” Magnus said, calling Ragnor’s bluff.

Ragnor sighed as he conceded. “You’re right, I won’t. The commission on this project is just too high.”

“I see then. All I am is a dollar sign for you,” Magnus chagrin. “What’s the project?”

“I’ll be at your place in 20 minutes. I want you, and whoever may or may not have shared your bed last night, decent according to common society standards.” Ragnor hung up the phone before Magnus could respond. 

Groaning, Magnus slid his legs out of bed and sat on the edge of the mattress as he scrubbed the sleep from his face. Glancing at his alarm clock on his nightstand, he moaned pitifully when he realized that Ragnor had woken him up two hours before he had truly wished to greet the day. Scanning the room sleepily, his eyes landed on his closet, a devious grin forming as he thought of the perfect vengeance against his manager for waking him up so earlier on a day off. 

When Ragnor let himself into the loft fifteen minutes later, Magnus was putting a kettle on the stove to make tea for the two of them. When Ragnor looked up from the paperwork in his hands, he shook his head at Magnus. 

“That,” Ragnor said, pointing at the Magnus’s ensemble of gold lame’ booty shorts, a glittery pink mesh crop top, and a black silk kimono, “is not considered decent in common society.”

“Hmm, you must be hanging out with the wrong parts of society then,” Magnus mused with a shrug of his shoulders.

“How I convince anyone to hire you is a testament to my skills as your manager.”

Magnus chuckled turning back to the stove as the kettle let out a whistle. Turning the stove off, he poured the hot water into two porcelain tea cups on a serving tray. Picking the tray up, Magnus nodded to the living room area.

“My talents have always been in high demand, my dear cabbage,” Magnus remarked as he set the tray on the coffee table. 

“I thought I said not to call me that.”

“No, you said not to call you my  _ little _ cabbage. I called you my  _ dear _ cabbage.”

Ragnor rolled his eyes at Magnus’s trivialities as both men chose tea bags from the assortment on the tray and settled into their respective seats, Magnus in his favorite blue velvet armchair and Ragnor on the corner of the couch nearest Magnus. 

Bobbing his tea bag in the hot water a couple of times to help it steep, Magnus got to business. “So Ragnor, what do you have for me?”

Ragnor passed the stack of papers over to Magnus. “Apparently, some upstart director is determined that you are the only one who can play the character of Beau Gott in his next film.”

“Beau Gott?” Magnus had to raise an eyebrow at the name. Taking a sip of his tea, he flipped through the script sample. 

Ragnor hummed around the rim of his tea cup in agreement over the name. “Sounds like a creature from Harry Potter, does it not?”

“The one that took on your worst nightmare?”

“Yes, that one.” Ragnor pointed to the script. “Gott is the prime suspect in a murder of a young woman. It’s a lot more dramatic acting than what you’ve done in the past, but I figure you’re dramatic enough in real life that you would have to act too much.”

“Very funny, Ragnor,” Magnus deadpanned as he read over the character premises. As he read the provided scene, a heated lover’s argument between Beau and Carver, he had to grin. “They’ve contacted Alec Lightwood for Carver, haven’t they?”

Ragnor had begun to scroll through his phone. “They are still reaching out to several people and holding auditions for more at the moment.”

“Nice try, Ragnor,” he said, smacking the script at Carver’s description. “They might have well written ‘Someone who looks like Alec Lightwood, but is effeminate’. God, Alec couldn’t be further from this character in reality. But I know who he will play.”

Ragnor quirked an eyebrow in question, not looking away from his cell phone.

Magnus leaned in close over the armrest, his voice in a loud whisper, as if telling a secret. “Monroe.”

Ragnor sputtered at that. “But, they want him for Carver!”

Magnus laughed at Ragnor broken facade, shaking his head as he leaned back in his chair. “Carver is the screenwriter’s wet dream of Alec Lightwood. But Monroe…” Magnus looked back over Monroe’s character specifics once more. “Monroe is a role Alec could dig his teeth into.”

Ragnor studied Magnus with a critical eye only available to someone who had known the man for as long as he had. Magnus was well-known for his escapades with both sexes, but there was always a sharp focus and fire that came to his old friend whenever Alec Lightwood was mentioned. As far as Ragnor was aware, Magnus had never dipped his toe in Mr. Lightwood’s pool, so to speak, but something about the young man had caught his friend’s attention and had refused to let go. Even if Magnus refused to admit it.

“So then, you’re interested enough to take the role?”

“I’m interested enough to meet with the director and producers regarding possible negotiations.” 

Ragnor nodded, tapping away at his phone.

“And,” Magnus added, looking over the script again, “I might have just met the perfect person to play our unfortunate Ms. Lavahey.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So almost all of our major players have been introduced now. Will Alec get the role of Monroe? Will he be typecast as Magnus's lover? What could be brewing between Magnus and Camille? Find out in Chapter 3! 
> 
> As mentioned in my Chapter 1 notes, this is on a two week posting schedule. Chapter 3 will be released during the week of Feb. 12th. So hit that subscribe button for this fic if you haven't already done so! 
> 
> You can also follow me on [Tumblr](https://www.tumblr.com/blog/bcnedrah) for more drabbles, chats, and random fandom geekiness!


	3. Chapter 3

Alec blew out a nervous breath and shook his shoulders as he waited to be called into the audition room. The script was rolled up in his hands, white knuckles pressing creases into the paper. The hallway was lined with hopefuls, mouthing words as they read along with the script, others sitting confidently as they spoke to those nearby them or passed time on their phones.

One of the double doors leading to the audition room opened and a casting assistant popped their head out, consulting the clipboard in their hands. “Mr. Lightwood?”

While the casting assistant held no interest into the actor attached to the name, several heads perked up in interest as Alec pushed off the wall and nodded to the assistant. They stepped aside to allow Alec to enter in front of them, closing the door behind them. The two of them stood waiting in an annexed room. Alec was able to hear the final parts of the audition before happening on the other side of another set of doors.

The assistant held a hand out expectantly. “Head shots?”

Alec passed over a pack of head shots, allowing the assistant to grab as many as they needed. Filing the headshots with the paperwork, they nodded to a table in the annex of the room. “Leave your cell phone and other things here. Only bring your script with you.”

Alec nodded and set his things aside, leaving enough space to separate his thing from the person before him personal items. Following the casting assistant, they paused at the doors. A murmur of voices was followed by the door opening to a man in his mid-30’s to early 40’s. Alec and the man eyed each other up before nodding briskly to each other. The man picked up his things on the side table while the assistant poked their head in to see if the casting panel was ready. The assistant jerked their head toward the room and Alec entered in after them, going to stand in the middle of the room as the assistant passed paperwork and headshots out to the panel. Off to the side, he heard the beep of the camera began recording the audition.

“For the record, state your name,” said a lithe man in a disinterested , and what Alec thought was a British accent, voice to the far left of the table, “and the character you are auditioning for.”

“Alec Lightwood,” he replied, clearing his throat slightly, “and I’m auditioning for the part of Monroe.”

Five heads snapped up at Alec’s introduction. The man who spoke earlier folded his hands in front of him, slightly obscured by the name card reading _Dir. V. Aldertree_. Aldertree was obviously a man who took pride in his appearance given his trimmed beard and hair and the crisp suit he wore flattered the tawny brown of his skin. And Aldertree was not appreciating the hit to his pride that was Alec not following the role he had predefined for him.

“Mr. Lightwood, while I admire your… aplomb at tackling this character, Monroe is out of your current acting repotore. While I understand you were quite popular with teenager girls as an,” he glanced at the overview of Alec’s acting roles, “angelic archer, I fail to see how you can pull off being a 40-something homicide police detective.”

A few seats down, a man was flipping through his notes frantically, as if he could sense that Aldertree was about to send Alec out of the room without auditioning him. “Um, I believe we sent you the role of Carver, did we not, Mr. Lightwood?”

Alec gave him a brisk nod. “You did. I am interested auditioning for Monroe.”

Aldertree let out a humorless chuckle. “Mr. Lightwood, the only reason I let our screenwriter, Mr. Manuel, send you the script was because he had written the role of Carver based on you. Something to do with the fact you work well with Magnus Bane, an actor we are pursuing for the role of Carver’s lover.”

Down the table, the screenwriter shifted in his seat, ears tinged pink in embarrassment. Alec frowned slightly as if he was considering Aldertree’s words. “Magnus Bane is a great actor and, if you’re lucky, you might be able to interest him in the role. But my acting skills are no way reliant on Magnus Bane. I can play Monroe, with or without Magnus.”

Aldertree’s shoulders rolled back, shocked that Alec wasn’t bending over backward to meet his every demand at a shot of getting cast. Before he could open his mouth, a small woman to his right, with a name card stating her to be the casting director, spoke up. “Let’s stop wasting time on trifles. He can audition for the role and if need be we can use his tape as an audition for Carver as well.” Pointing a pen at Alec, she said, “I’m going have you start from Act II lines 47. You can use the chair over there.”

Her pen changed direction to a metal folding chair that had been turned over in the previous audition. Picking up the chair, he dragged it to the center and dropped down on it. As the panel flipped pages in the script to the appropriate scene, Alec took a deep breath to get into the correct headspace, recognizing the scene to be where Monroe returns to the force for the first time.

“Ready?” the casting director asked.

Alec gave her a nod to begin, hunching over and motioning as if he was shoving workout clothes into a bag.

The middle aged man on the far right began. “Hey yo, that Monroe?”

Alec/Monroe ignored the blatant question, rolling his head side to side as if to work out a crick in his neck.

The screenwriter took the next character’s line. “Madman Monroe? When he’d get approved to be back on active duty?”

Alec/Monroe shot a deadly sharp look in the direction of the screenwriter, eyes cold and withdrawn. Continuing to stare the man down, he casually stood up and motioned throwing a bag into a locker and slamming it shut.

The screenwriter swallowed, his mouth suddenly dry. “Hey, uh, Monroe man. Welcome back.”

Alec/Monroe looked down at his shoulder where the other man was supposed to be putting his hand, his eyes looking at the man’s hand in disgust before quirking an eyebrow at the screenwriter as if to ask why his hand was still there.

“Um, yeah, buddy. Welcome back,” the other man added. “Did those idiots in IA finally get their heads outta their asses?”

Alec/Monroe turned his attention to him. “Apparently, you haven’t learned to pull your head out of your asses,” he smirked. While he was joking, there was something eerie about it, as if there was an underlying threat hanging in the air.

“Yeah,” the screenwriter joined in, “I mean it’s not like you went on a murderous rampage on purpose.”

Alec knew this was the place Monroe was supposed to snap and slam the character against the lockers. Instead, he craned his neck as he scratched at the tendon there and shook his head in exasperation.

“Are you serious?” he said, raising his voice with authority, but did not yelling. Snapping his head down, he took a step forward. “Are you serious? Right here? Right now?”

“Hey man,” the screenwriter said, “we’re just joking.”

“Just joking,” Alec/Monroe replied, a false laugh rising out of his throat. Turning to the older man, he asked pointedly, “And you?”

“Whatever, man. I don’t care.”

“And scene, Mr. Lightwood,” Aldertree called out.

The panel as a whole were jotting down notes and reactions, something that Alec tried not to let shake him as he knew they needed to get their thoughts down and that they weren’t marks against him. At least he hoped so. Letting his nervousness hide his poker face, he consciously kept from clenching and unclenching his fist, least the tiniest showing of fear lose him the audition.

Aldertree looked up from his notes and steepled his hands in front of him. “Mr. Lightwood, the next part of the audition will be completely non-verbal. Imagine if you will a crime scene and you’re inspecting a dead body. If you would please.”

At Aldertree’s wave, Alec shifted his weight, the direction of Aldertree’s hand toward the floor, his mind supplying the body, broken and contorted as it stared lifeless at the panel. Easing heel over foot, he circled the area of the body, employing minute muscle movements to showcase the shifting information he would be processing on at a crime scene. As he circled closer to the body, he came down into a crouch, but didn’t make a move to touch the body. _Rule 1 - Don’t contaminate the crime scene._ He turned his head this way and that, looking for clues and identifying marks and scars before lifting his head to scan the room at large, looking for something that wasn’t there.

“Very good, Mr. Lightwood,” the casting director said, breaking Alec out of his mindset.

Pushing off his knees, he stood back up to wait for their next test. Every one of them were noting something down. When they had finished, they looked at each other, some silent communication taking place. The casting director waved at the camera person, letting them know they could stop filming.

“Well, Mr. Lightwood, I think we are done here,” Aldertree remarked. He seemed as if he wasn’t sure that was a good thing or a bad thing. The panel all had varying looks of uncertainty. “Thank you for your time. Please see yourself out.”

Alec nodded a curt thank you and headed out to the annex to collect his things.  
  


Magnus ambled through his condo a couple of days after his meeting with Ragnor, leisurely going about the process of making tea. He shuffled through Spotify for a playlist to match his upbeat mood for the morning, humming along as he moved around the kitchen. His dinner with Camille and Raphael was on his mind and had been interesting to say the least. Or perhaps it was better to say that Magnus was interested in seeing Camille Belcourt again. Snagging some grapes out of the fridge, he popped a piece in his mouth dancing toward the kettle that was beginning to let out a plume of steam. It took a lot for someone to catch his attention, he thought as he poured the hot water into his tea cup, and Camille had definitely caught his attention.

However, Magnus's attraction to Camille was interrupted by a scraping by the patio door. A small white cat, ears tipped in gray and bright green eyes shining in the afternoon light, was batting at the strings for the blinds through the window pane. The cat was young, and even through fluffy fur, Magnus could tell it was small for its age. The cat dropped on its haunches, butt wriggling as it created a plan of attack, before pouncing at the window pane again, much to Magnus's amusement.

Carefully, as not to startle the creature, he made his way to the kitchen. Opening pantry doors until he found the stash of canned meat and pasta that Ragnor always made sure that was available in the lofts he rented. Debating between a can of tuna and a can of chicken, he weighed the two before decided that chicken could be used in more meals. A secondary search for a small plate and the banging of drawers until he remembered where he put the can opener, Magnus dumped the can of tuna on a small plate.

Heading to the door, he gently tapped it to get the cat's attention. It startled at the sound, back arching and jumping back until it scurried underneath one of the lounge chairs. Magnus bit his lower lip, shoulder shaking at the small poof of fur. Gently opening the patio door, he set the plate to the side on the ground and slide the door closed. The cat sniffed the air, head bobbing it determined if there was any threat to accompany the delicious aroma of tuna. When it deemed that Magnus would be staying on the other side of the door, it crept in a wide berth toward the plate. Giving the plate a sniff or two, the cat settled down to eat, keeping an eye on Magnus in between bites.

Magnus moved further back into the kitchen to retrieve his tea cup, resting his hip against the counter to where he could still keep an eye on the cat. Pulling his phone out of his back pocket, Magnus pulled up his camera and zoomed in on the cat. Snapping a few quick pictures, one where the cat had looked up and the fur surrounding its mouth had formed clumps of tuna, Magnus pulled up Instagram and Snapchat, posting the photos respectively. _Surprise visitor this meow-ning._

Chuckling at his play on words, Magnus began making his way through his social media apps while sipping at his tea. A black and white photo of Alec Lightwood doing arm curls in an oversized tank with cut-out arm holes had been posted to Instagram by his sister Isabelle had Magnus groaning into his tea cup. The tank collar dipped low enough to show off Alec’s pecs and the spattering of chest hair, while the arm holes showcasing  muscle-banded ribs and just a peek of the six-pack he knew the other man sported. Magnus made a quick mental note to send Izzy a thank you gift for posting the photo, knowing Alec wasn’t one for showing off. While Alec may be one of Magnus’s dearest friends and co-stars, he still appreciated seeing an excellent specimen of the male physique first thing in the morning. Setting his cup on the counter, Magnus quickly typed out a _Heeeelllloooo LOVER!!!_ followed by a string of heart-eyed emojis, knowing Alec would get a kick out of it. 

A text message popping up on the notification bar had Magnus quirking an eyebrow.

**Camille:**

_Cute Cat ;)_

Magnus narrowed his eyes and bit at his thumbnail as he thought of how to play this. Friendly amusement or push to see if there was something more? While winky smiling faces had their place in text message flirting, a misplaced or distracted thumb stroke could produce the same results. The chances you don’t take in life are the ones you regret the most, right?

**Magnus:**

_It is cute isn’t it?_

_I found I’ve been surprised by a variety of cute things since moving to LA ;)_

Unlike Camille’s probable winky face, Magnus’s was deliberate. Now to see if she took the bait, he thought. A string of dots appeared and then disappeared while she formulated her answer.

**Camille:**

_Such as?_

**Magnus:**

_I had dinner with a very beautiful person the other night_

**Camille:**

_Oh, really?_

**Magnus:**

_Hmm… Raphael is quite pretty despite his grumpy disposition. ;P_

**Camille:**

_Lol. He does make the viewers’ hearts swoon._

**Magnus:**

_It’s the suit. Raphael in a suit does something to women’s hearts_

_Despite the fact he looks like he came straight from a funeral all of the time_

_Don’t worry though, I’m sure you make just as many hearts swoon, if not more_

**Camille:**

_Yes, he does seem stuck on that particular fashion choice_

**Magnus:**

_Much to my everlasting dismay_

_Speaking of, from one fashionable person to another, where does one find excellent clothes in LA?_

**Camille:**

_Santee Alley. The Hidden Home of LA’s Fashion District._

_I actually have the afternoon off. I know of a lovely coffee shop near there if you’d like to meet up?_

**Magnus:**

_Never let it be said that I was one to turn down the chance to spend an afternoon with a lovely woman. ;)_  
  
  


Alec tried to shake off the audition, knowing he had given it his best, as he focused his attention on the set of the music video where he was playing the male lead, opposite of for the next big pop starlet. Alec dropped onto the built-in couch in his trailer, wincing slightly at the lack of cushion. He tucked a foot under his knee, balancing his takeaway salad on his lap. Stabbing his fork into the salad with a little bit more force than needed, he picked up his phone and started scrolling through Instagram.

Izzy had apparently snapped and posted a photo of him training from earlier that day and it had gotten a lot of response. Quite a few fans of the Lightwood siblings had commented on the photo or had clicked the heart icon. Thumbing through the comments, he absentmindedly picked at his salad, wrinkling his nose and wishing it was anything else instead. Magnus screenname caught his eye and he snorted around the lip of his water bottle as he took a sip, reading Magnus’s comment. _Heeeelllloooo LOVER!!!_

Alec didn’t think much of it as he liked Magnus’s comment. Knowing both of their mutual fanbases, there would be fan theories about his and Magnus’s undying love and sexual tension on and off screen. While both he and Magnus had a great working relationship and friendship, neither one of them had felt the need to change any aspect of their relationship. However, Alec knew Magnus’s joking comment alone was enough of a spark to get the hardcore conspiracists’ flames burning.

Moving further down his feed, he stopped on a selfie Magnus posted. He was sitting on the outside patio of some little cafe, flanked by Raphael and a lovely blonde woman Alec didn’t recognize. Magnus had his arm draped across the back of Raphael’s chair as he leaned into the picture’s frame while the blonde woman leaned forward, shoulders angled toward Magnus, but not touching him. While the woman’s smile was pleasant for all intents and purposes, something about it came across as cold to Alec. In between the two, Raphael glared into the camera lens, the equivalent of a smile for the shorter man. Alec scanned down to read Magnus’s caption on the photo.

 _Meeting old friends and new ones,_ the comment read. _By the way, the food was awful! :-P_

Alec looked back up at the photo, taking in the scraped clean plates spread across the table. Shaking his head, he liked Magnus’s photo before continuing on through his feed. He speared another bite of salad, determined to finish his lunch before he was called back to set.  
  


Magnus rubbed at the metal dragon cuff on his ear as he stepped out of his Uber, scanning the crowds of shoppers for Camille. He spotted her standing near a street sign, wearing a bright red sun hat and matching purse that would seem garish on anyone else. She had paired the hat and purse with a white sundress that she wore with the confidence of a ball gown, as if she was going to the Met Ball. Magnus strode up to her with a bright smile and brought the back of her hand to his lips, causing a melodic laughter to escape her.

“Ms. Belcourt, may I applaud you on your fashion choices,” he remarked, tucking her hand in the crook of his arm. “Not so many people would be able to pull of your hat as well as you do.”

“Magnus, you flatter me.” She patted his bicep with her hand, pressing close. “Want to know a secret?”

Magnus quirked an eyebrow at her pressing her lips together to fight back a mischievous grin.

“I wore the hat for you.”

Magnus chuckled, tongue in cheek, as his eyes darted about her face. Tucking her just a little bit closer to his side, he waved to the shops in front of them. “Well, Ms. Belcourt, you are the expert of the day. Where should we start our search?”

“Please, Magnus, call me Camille.”

“Well then, Camille, where to?”

Camille grinned smugly at her success as she tugged him down the sidewalk toward the array of shops. The two of them spent the afternoon poking their heads into stores and critiqued the storefront window displays as to which had the most fashionable merchandise. They put mini-fashion shows for the other, trying to top each other as to who could put together the most ridiculous outfit in the store.

It was while they were taking a break in an ice cream parlour, a bounty of bags laden around their feet, that Camille broached a topic that had been on her mind, swirling the ice cream in her cup idly. “So my manager let me know this morning about an interesting phone call he received about me this morning.”

Magnus raised an eyebrow in intrigue, humming a question around his mouthful of ice cream.

“Apparently someone from a new murder mystery movie that is in development contacted him about my possible availability to audition for a small role and my shooting availability around La Pasion Inmortal.”

“Camille, that’s amazing,” Magnus exclaimed happily. “I’m sure you’ll blow them away in the audition.”

“It’s interesting though,” she continued, eyeing him across the table. “I was apparently recommended by one of the other actors they’re pursuing for one of the main roles. You wouldn’t happen to know anything about that would you?”

“Surely, you’re not suggesting that I referred you for a film? I don’t even know the title of the project I am supposedly to have referred you to,” Magnus pointed out.

“You’re a new, hot commodity in this town, Mr. Bane, and one of the most recent people I’ve met,” she countered. “So imagine my surprise at my manager’s phone call not even 48 hours after meeting you.”

“Again, Ms. Belcourt, I’m sure I have no idea who referred you,” Magnus retorted with a wink.

Camille nudged his foot playfully at the use of her last name, which Magnus caught between both of his with a wry grin before releasing it.  Picking up her hand resting on the table to lace his fingers with hers, he said in a serious voice, “Like I said, Camille, I’m sure you’ll be amazing during the audition process.”

Camille licked her lips at the compliment, ducking her head to hide the blush on her cheeks and dug into her ice cream. Magnus followed suit, but neither of them released the other’s hand from where they rested on the table.

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Anyone feel like screaming at me yet? 
> 
> Follow me on [Tumblr](https://www.tumblr.com/blog/bcnedrah) or scream at me there. :)


	4. Chapter 4

Alec walked confidently down the studio office hallway toward the conference room that the table read for 43 Reasons. It had taken five rounds of auditions and callbacks, but he had finally convinced Aldertree that he was meant to play the role of Monroe. Lydia had quickly closed contract negotiations with the studio, ensuring there was very little chance of either party backing out - not without paying very expensive fees in the process. 

Next to him, Isabelle’s heels click-clacked on the tile floor of the hallway. She had sneaked a look at the scripts sent to Alec and had auditioned for the part of Marlene, Monroe’s sister, unknowing of Alec’s request to audition for a different character. The casting directors had practically salivated at the thought of having Monroe and Marlene portrayed by the Lightwood siblings. Alec knew that Izzy had gotten the part based on her own acting skills, not the fact that the two of them were siblings in real life. If there was one thing the both of them agreed on, it was they didn’t take handouts when it came to their acting careers. They both had worked hard to get to where they were now - Alec as a tween sitcom hearthrob and Izzy had had a recurring role on a daily soap opera since she was a teenager. They were both seasoned actors by this point despite their young age. Alec was actually looking forward to working with Izzy on set; it would be the first time that they would be working together.

Once they had been vetted by a production assistant at the door of the conference room, they made their way in. People were mingling around a set of tables set up in a round in the middle of the room, searching for their seats or chatting with those near them. Alec felt the corner of his lip turn up in a fond smirk at the sight of dark spikes with teal and mermaid blue highlights across the room. He was dressed in a silk button down that complimented the teal in his hair - or was it supposed to be the teal in his hair complimented his shirt? Alec could never remember - and a black velvet waistcoat lined in silver stitching and buttons. Dark plum, skinny jeans that Alec was almost certain were painted on they were so tight and blue loafers laced with silver threads completed the outfit.  He was laughing at something a blonde haired woman next to him, who was obscured by the people moving about the room, had said. The movement of the crowd must have cleared enough for the couple, because silver and gray dusted eyes shot him a wink. Patting the shoulder of his blonde companion in excuse, the man made his way across the room to Alec. 

Tugging at the hem of his waistcoat, Magnus put on a serious face and held out his hand. “Mr. Lightwood.”

Alec straightened his shoulders and adopted a terse face as well, shaking Magnus’s hand firmly, yet vigorously. “Mr. Bane.”

“Oh my god, you two are such dorks,” Izzy proclaimed next to them. 

Both Alec and Magnus broke their handshake with peals of laughter and Magnus turned to Izzy with a slight bow. “Isabelle, it is lovely to see you again.”

Izzy bounced on her heels as she held her arms out for a hug, which Magnus gladly returned. “We finally get to work together!” Izzy practically squealed as she molded herself to Magnus’s side. Resting her head on Magnus’s shoulder, she eyed her big brother. “Magnus, do you think if we teamed up, we might get Alec into something other than black?”

Magnus rested his chin on Izzy’s head as he contemplated his co-star. “Possibly. Think we can kidnap him in between shootings and take him shopping?”

Alec crossed his arms over his chest and let his head fall back with the roll of his eyes. “Seriously, you two?”

Magnus and Izzy had conspiring grins when Magnus’s blonde companion from before joined them. Resting her hand on his shoulder, she asked, “Magnus, can you introduce me to your friends?”

Magnus looked over his shoulder at Camille before taking a step back to drape an arm across her shoulders. “Camille, may I introduce Alec and Isabelle Lightwood, real life siblings who will be playing our Monroe and Marlene respectively. Alec, Isabelle, meet Camille Belcourt, our tragic Ms. Lavahey.” 

Alec and Izzy stepped forward to shake Camille’s hand with murmured pleasantries 

Turning to Alec, Camille said, “I must admit, I was impressed with your work in the Mortal Instruments. As I was with Magnus’s as well.” The hand placed Magnus’s chest seemed more of a caress than a pat of appreciation. “I look forward to working with both of you during the movie. I’m sure we will all grow very… close during filming.”

Alec’s brow furrowed slightly, perplexed at the fact the last part of Camille’s comment seemed to be directed more at Magnus, who was smiling at Camille as if she hung the sun and stars, than him.  “I’m sure we will.”

“Everyone! Your attention please!” Aldertree projected his voice above the chatter of the room. Once he had everyone’s attention, he continued. “We will be starting within the next ten minutes. Please make your way to your assigned seats for the table read. Please remember that photos and social media are prohibited during this table read.”

The chatter began to die down as people made their way to their assigned seats. When the last person had sat down, Aldertree cleared his throat. “Now, all of you should have your scripts in front of you. Before we begin, I’d like to start with some introductions. Please open your scripts to the cast page.” The sound of papers flipping over filled the room momentarily. “A simple indication of who you are will suffice.” There was a light murmur of agreements and nods. “I will begin with our major players. The role of the late, departed Ms. Lavahey will be played by Ms. Camille Belcourt.”

Camille wiggled her fingers to everyone with her head tipped as coy as the character she would be portraying. When Magnus gave her a slow, debonair nod across the table, she sent him a wink in return.

“The role of Carver, the bartender with more secrets than his customers, will be played by Meliorn.”

Izzy slapped Alec’s arm next to him, mouthing her excitement at seeing her favorite musician as part of the project. Alec never could understand his sister’s obsession with the rock star. The man had a hawkish beauty, he admitted, with long, dark brown hair slicked back away from his face, but Alec found aspects of Meliorn’s public persona a bit too ostentatious for him personally. Meliorn chose to go by one name only - a name that came to him on a spiritual journey to reconnect his energy with Mother Nature. The connection must have been completed, because he had a green leaf tattoo on his left cheekbone to commemorate the experience. Alec felt sorry for the makeup team that would be deemed with covering up the tattoo for every scene.

“As for Marlene, the wayward sister of Monroe, we felt it would only be right for it to be played by the talented, Ms. Isabelle Lightwood.”

Izzy nodded and waved to the table like a beauty queen before settling back with a soft chuckle. 

“A man more mysterious than the mysteries he is reporting on, Beau Gott will be played by Mr. Magnus Bane.”

Magnus waved his hand and gave a small bow when a light applause filled the room at the mention of his name. 

“And the man leading the investigation of Ms, Lavahey’s death, the role of Monroe will be played by Mr. Alec Lightwood.” 

Alec had been caught mid-sip from his water bottle when his name was announced, but saluted with his water bottle as he swallowed with a sharp nod. The sound of a repressed snicker had Alec glaring at Magnus’s pressed lips holding back more laughter. Next to him, he could practically feel his sister’s exasperated eye roll hidden behind a flip of her hair over her shoulder. Underneath the table, Alec kicked her foot in sibling retaliation.

Aldertree went on to introduce a few more supporting characters and actors who were at the table read. When all introductions had been made, Aldertree looked about everyone in the group. Steepling his hands in front of him, he announced, “This movie is at its heart a murder mystery. We will be filming scenes at multiple angles and relying on camera work to produce a slight of hand when it comes to unraveling the events that lead up to Ms. Lavahey’s death and subsequent investigation for her killer. To several of you, this will remain a mystery as well. 

“The scripts in front of you are only part of the movie overall. Some of you will receive extra scripts with scenes that are pivotal to the story, but must remain unknown to the public at all cost.” Aldertree paused there to let everyone understand how vital secrecy was going to be for this movie. “Since scripts for certain scenes will be limited to those on a need to know basis, we - the production company and I - will be able to narrow down who has released the information to the public. And there can and will be consequences to these actions - voluntarily or involuntarily. As a general rule of thumb, remember that no one wants to go see a mystery movie when they already know the ending. Please try to save your inner Mark Ruffalo to your other projects.” 

There was a light chuckle that was more nervous than finding humor at Aldertree’s comment. Aldertree flipped through his script. “Shall we begin, then? Ms. Belcourt, will you narrate for us?”

As Camille described narratives and action commands for the actors, the actors in question began to fill in their responses as the group moved through the script. 

_ "I'll find ‘em," Monroe promised the woman. "Somehow, I'll find ‘em." _

_ "Tell me, detective," Beau said as he manically surged forward against the interrogation table, his handcuffs clanking against the metal table, "why do you think I killed her?" _

_ “She reminded me of a black widow or a praying mantis, that way,” Carver remarked, his gaze lost to a memory. “Get them all worked up and then hang them out to dry while she moved on to the next.” _

_ “Everyone has their thing, big brother,” Marlene sneered. “I thought it was your job to figure out what the dead, rich lady’s thing was. Not mine.” _

Over the next couple of hours, the characters came alive in the room, letting their voices and stories be heard. Alec could feel something buzzing along his skin, almost as if a magic spell was being cast.  This one, he thought, this one was going to be  _ good _ .   
  
  


“Alexander!” Magnus called out to gain his attention as the room began to pack up once the table read was finished. Alec glanced up from stuff his script into his bag. Magnus rounded the table to stand next to him. “I believe you owe me a drink.”

“Uh…” Alec glanced over at his sister, trying to use her as an accomplice for an excuse, but Izzy had managed to snare Meliorn into a conversion. Flirty hairflips and smiles in classic Izzy Flirtation Technique 101. 

“Alexander.” Alec whipped his head back to Magnus, who had a chastised look on his face. “If the next words out of your mouth are raincheck, remember that it is considered rude to raincheck on a raincheck. Also, it seems our young Isabelle as found herself suitable entertainment for the night?”

Alec let out a rueful sigh as he rubbed at the back of his neck. Magnus knew his tells far too well. “Yeah, uh drinks sound good.”

“I heard my name. And the promise of alcohol.” Izzy poked her head around Alec’s shoulder, batting her eyes innocently at her big brother from where he was glaring down at her. 

“Who said anything about inviting you, brat,” Alec said, nudging his sister. He jerked his head to Meliorn. “Magnus said that it looked like you were making your own plans for tonight.”

“Well, Isabelle and I were discussing having drinks as well,” Meliorn interjected, coming to stand next to Izzy, a hand resting at the small of her back. Alec gave the hand a flick of brotherly disapproval, but remained quiet when Izzy didn’t seem to have a problem with it.

“A group dinner?” asked a soft voice from behind Magnus. The four turned to Camille joining their group. 

“A group dinner sounds perfect,” Magnus repeated with a smile. “A get to know you thing between future castmates. I’m thinking steak and vodka.”

“Are you sure that’s a good idea, Magnus? Most places in LA book quickly for larger groups,” said Izzy.

“Steak and vodka is always a good idea, Isabelle,” Magnus quipped as he whipped out his phone, thumb racing across of the screen. “Any requests?”

“A place that will also have a good vegetarian menu as well, please,” Meliorn requested.

Magnus gave him a quick nod of acknowledgement as he scrolled through restaurant options. “Pacific Dining Car work?” Meliorn thought for a moment before nodding his approval. A couple swipes of his thumb later, Magnus looked up with a bright smile. “Table for 5 reserved for an hour from now. More than enough time for stops home or a quick errand beforehand.”

Alec quirked an eyebrow and waved his hand in the direction of Magnus’s phone. “Did you do your thing again?”

“His thing?” Camille asked puzzled. 

“Long running joke between us. When I make things happen,” Magnus said with a snap of his fingers, “Alexander says I am working my - or Godfrey’s - magic, so to speak. Well then, Pacific Dining Car in an hour?”

 

An hour later, Alec and Izzy were chatting at the table with Meliorn, more Izzy than Alec, as they waited on Magnus and Camille to join them. Alec looked out at the wood paneling and floral green pattern to the corner booth they occupied, tugging at the uncomfortable collar of the light blue button down Izzy had forced him to wear. He couldn’t help constantly shifting in his seat, feeling out of place in the iconic, old Hollywood restaurant. A booming, deep laughter had Alec turning in his seat to see Magnus striding through the dining room as confident as if he owned the restaurant, gently guiding Camille around the tables and patrons eating their meals. 

“Magnus!” Izzy beamed at him. “Camille, good to see you again.”

“Isabelle,” Magnus greeted, sliding into the booth next to Alec and leaning across his lap to brush a kiss on her cheek. Meliorn gave him a sharp nod in greeting which Magnus returned. Turning to Alec, Magnus grinned slyly . “Do you need a kiss as well?”

Alec rolled his eyes and shoved him upright into the booth, much to Magnus’s chagrin. Looking over Magnus’s shoulder, Alec nodded to Camille, who had slipped in at the end of the booth. “Camille.”

“Alec. Isabelle. Meliorn.”

Glasses of ice water had already been waiting for them at the table with a couple of menus. Izzy slid hers over to them. “Meliorn and I have ordered some appetizers - baked artichokes with dip and onion rings.”

Magnus hummed as he looked over the menu. “Sounds delicious.”

A waiter stopped by to take Magnus and Camille’s drink orders, allowing them time to decide what they wanted to order. When he returned with a vodka martini for Magnus and a Bloody Mary for Camille, he took the group’s food orders and collected the menus. 

“Now then,” Magnus said relaxing into the booth with his martini raised, “shall we toast to a successful new endeavour?”

“Not a successful movie?” Meliorn asked?

The rest of the table shook their heads gravely. Izzy came to Melion’s rescue. “Actor superstition. Much like saying ‘break a leg’ instead of ‘good luck’ during plays.”

“Like you know so much about plays,” Alec said dubiously. “Much less about good luck.”

“Because you’re the expert in good luck? Lest we forget that you have a ceramic cow you keep to rub for good luck on every movie and TV show you're in?”

“At least I don’t wear the same red lipstick everyday because ‘only good things happen on red lipstick days’,” Alec parroted his sister in a high falsetto voice, “and then pass it off as a ‘staple look’.”

Izzy stared at her brother agape. “Oh, like your ‘staple’ of ratty, faded black sweaters that you refuse to replace until they literally -  _ literally _ \- fall apart?”

When Magnus could see that Meliorn and Camille were becoming concerned that the Lightwood siblings may actually start duking it out in the middle of the booth, he leaned over to Camille and in a stage whisper said, “You will learn that those two never agree on anything, but how much they care about each other. It tooks months of speculation until I figured out how their relationship worked.”

Alec and Izzy whipped around to narrow their eyes at Magnus in sibling solidarity. Raising her drink, Izzy challenged Magnus. “Surely, Alec and I weren’t your favorite thing to speculate about.”

“Of course you were, my dear Isabelle,” Magnus said, placing a hand on his chest proundly. In a sing-song voice, he taunted, “And I’ve now become an expert on a subject I like most.”

“Getting to know you,” Camille hummed along picking up the lyrics.”Getting to know all about you…”

“Getting to like you, getting to hope you like me,” Magnus sang along with a wink to Camille, appreciative that someone in the group had caught his little joke. Camille hid a blush behind her drink. Turning back to the others, he proclaimed, “Since we cannot agree to new endeavours, why don’t we toast to getting to know one another?” 

That seemed to please the table. The clinking of glasses was followed by quiet cheers as the waiter showed back up with a tray loaded with appetizers. Once the appetizers had been artfully arranged and side plates had been passed around, everyone dug in. 

“So, Magnus, why the move from Broadway to movies?” Meliorn asked as he divvied appetizers onto his plate. 

“Oh, something new,” Magnus said nonchalantly as he waved off the question. 

“I’m surprised you never auditioned for the role of King of Siam,” Meliorn continued on, not picking up on Magnus’s social cues. “That was what the two of you were singing earlier? ‘Getting to Know You’ from the King and I?”

“And have to shave all of this off?” Magnus gestured to his well maintained quaff. “Never. Well maybe I considered it once.”

Izzy seemed shocked at that. “You considered going bald for a role?”

“Hmm, once. A very fleeting thing.”

Alec snorted as he snagged an onion ring from the middle of the table, shaking his head. Jerking a thumb at Magnus, he said with a full mouth, “He shaved his head once and decided he had a weird shaped head. And then wore wigs until his hair grew out.”

“It’s rude to talk with your mouth full, Alexander,” Magnus gritted through pursed lips, the heel of his boot digging into Alec’s toes. As Alec let out a pained gasp, Magnus turned to Izzy with a sweet smile.”I learned that my hair was my crowning feature.”

“I can see that Isabelle is the smarter Lightwood sibling,” Meliorn commented with a distressed look on his face at Alec’s eating habits. Izzy practically preened next to him.

Next to Magnus, Camille let out a soft laughter. “It’s obvious the two of you have a long standing friendship.”

“One must when you play lovers. Imagine having to kiss Mr. Onion Breath over here otherwise.”

Alec sucked his teeth in annoyance. “At least I’m not the one who showed up on set-” he broke off as the waiter came to their table with their orders. Once the food had been dolled out accordingly, Alec pinned Magnus with a look. “I’m not the one who showed up to set claiming to be the fricking Warlock Guru of Looovveee.” Alec included a muted sashay of his hips while his eyes drilled holes into Magnus’s head.

Magnus had to bite back a snort at the memory. A trick he had played during some of his first days filming on The Mortal Instruments with Alec in order to break the ice. Deciding to take a page out of the King of Siam’s book, he proclaimed, “I do not remember such words.”

Alec did snort with disdain. “Well, I remember them.”

“I will do the remembering!” Magnus pointed an official looking finger at Alec, wiggling his eyebrows playfully.

Alec moved Magnus’s hand out of his face, placing it on the table and covering it with his own. Leaning forward with a wry grin, he said, “I thought you just said you don’t remember things.”

“I-” Magnus gaped for a moment before narrowing his eyes at Alec. “You win this round, Lightwood.”

Alec smirked as he cut into his steak, the juicy meat tasting that much more delicious from his victory. Conversation flowed easily the rest of the night until Camille made a comment about the possibility of going to a festival with Magnus one weekend. When she mentioned the date, Alec did some quick calculations and sprouted off that Magnus couldn’t go. 

“And why not?” Magnus asked, entirely put out at the possibility of not spending time with Camille. “Who are you to have such intimate knowledge of my schedule and future?” 

“It’s the same weekend as SDCC,” Alec mumbled around a bite of steak, as nonchalantly as if he was commenting on the weather. “We’re promoting Mortal Instruments.”

“Oh yeah,”Magnus said, his eyes widening as if a lightbulb had gone off above his head. Pulling up his work calendar on his phone, he compared the dates against Camille’s festival. “Alec’s right, We’ll at SDCC. I’m sorry.”

“An actor’s schedule is a fickle thing indeed,” Camille said graciously, patting Magnus’s arm as she took the turn down in stride.

“SDCC?” Meliorn asked, his face perplexed.

Alec and Magnus looked at each other before replying in tandem, “San Diego Comic Con!” 

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Comic Con or BUST!!! Also, is everyone excited for the movie to start filming with all of our characters/actors?
> 
> Feel free to yell at me on [Tumblr](https://www.tumblr.com/blog/bcnedrah) as well as hit the subscribe button for this fic!


	5. Chapter 5

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Realized I needed to introduce a few more characters before we could head on out to SDCC. Sorry for the late update. I've been hit with a one-two whammy when it comes to being sick this past week and a half. 
> 
> But tonight is the season 3 premiere and I have a new chapter going up! Everyone cheer!

If there was one thing Alec hated, it was 5:00 AM morning makeup calls. And today’s would be much more daunting for Alec as it was dress rehearsals for the main actors. A day of people caking his face with makeup and poking and prodding him while he tried on several different outfits awaited him. Not to mention taking photos of each outfit. He was already exhausted thinking about it.

As he pulled into the set lot, he glanced over at Izzy in the front seat. Somehow her hair was perfectly curled and she was raring to go for the day. Coffee was in to-go cups in the middle of the dash and a bag carrying their breakfast was resting in Izzy's lap. Thankfully, Alec had been in charge of making breakfast as Izzy had a well-known brown thumb when it came to cooking - despite multiple professional cooking lessons over the years. While Alec never minded lending his kitchen to his sister's cooking experiments, he had learned a long time ago never to eat whatever she made. Just the thought of Izzy's famous Peanut butter, butternut squash, and rutabaga pasta experiment was enough to turn his stomach.

Taking a sip of coffee to rid his mouth of the phantom taste, he made his way to his assigned parking space. Throwing his SUV into park, he was internally pleased to see that he and Izzy had 20 minutes before their makeup call. Scrubbing a hand over his face, he motioned for his breakfast sandwich from Izzy. Digging through the bag, she slapped a plastic wrapped, whole wheat tomato, fried egg, and avocado sandwich into his palm. Grunting his thanks, he unwrapped it and took a bite out of it.

Izzy, well-used to a lifetime of Alec's morning grumpiness, didn't take any offense. Taking out her own breakfast, she starting eating as well. Both of them finished their sandwiches rather quickly, guzzling down coffee at the same time in Alec's case. Balling up the remaining plastic and throwing it into the brown bag that had taken up residence on the floor in front of the passenger seat, Alec and Izzy stepped out of the SUV and made their way to the makeup trailer, Alec still clutching his extra-large coffee like a lifeline.

Opening the makeup trailer door and stepping in, the siblings paused at the sight of a curly, brown-haired man with glasses fumbling with something in his mouth. At the sound of the trailer door opening, he turned around at them, his mouth filled with a set of loose vampire teeth.

"Ahh, my chiwdren of the night!" he lisped around the fake fangs.

Alec cocked an eyebrow at him, eyes narrowed. Waving the hand holding his coffee cup to encompass the entirety of the individual in front of him, he shook his head and muttering, "Yeah, I can't deal with this right now." Alec shuffled past the man to find his assigned makeup chair and section, ignoring the look of feigned hurt on the man's face.

"Oh, come on, dude! Admit it - that was classic!" he complained as he spit out the fangs into his hand. Behind him, Izzy was laughing behind her hand, causing the man to spin around on his heel. "Hi. I'm, um, Simon, Simon Lewis. Two first names. I mean, nice to meet you," Simon bumbled through introducing himself, holding out the hand holding the vampire fangs to shake. "Oh, um..."

Izzy looked skeptically at Simon’s hand for a moment before holding her hand out in front of him to be kissed. Tossing her hair behind her shoulder confidently, she announced, “I’m Isabelle.”

Simon was in the midst of babbling out an answer when Magnus entered the trailer behind Isabelle. Quickly taking catalogue of the situation in front of him, he cleared his throat to gain Izzy’s attention. “My darling Isabelle, please don't tease Sherman.” 

Alec glowered at his sister in the peripheral of his vision. “Izzy…”

“Oh, relax, Alec,” she tossed over Simon’s shoulder.  “You’re such a spoilsport.”

Simon finally regained control of his mouth to respond to Magnus’s dig. “Come on, Magnus. You know my name is Simon.”

“Shelly, Sherman. Tomato, To-mah-to,” Magnus shrugged his shoulders as he made his way to a petite redhead standing in the back of the makeup trailer, failing to hide her laughter behind her fist.

“Fray,” Simon pointed a finger in the redhead’s direction. “You’re supposed to be on my side.”

“I am on your side, Simon,” she assured. 

“Ahh, Biscuit,” Magnus opened his arms to hug the girl, dropping an affectionate kiss on the crown of her head. “How have you been, my dear?”

“Magnus,” she hummed as she hugged him tight. Stepping back and resting a hip against the makeup vanity, she crossed her arms over her chest. “I’ve been good.”

Magnus quirked an eyebrow at her remark. “Good? Or  _ good _ ? Tell me, biscuit, who is he?”

Clary swiped at Magnus’s shoulder humorlessly. Izzy stared between Magnus, Simon, and the girl known as Biscuit/Fray. “So the three of you have worked together before?”

“In a way,” Magnus explained as he took a seat at the station nearest the redhead. “I’ve worked extensively with Clary’s, or as I like to call her Biscuit, mother when I was working the Broadway circuit. Clary and Simon would sometimes join Jocelyn backstage as she would do makeup for the actors. Biscuit picked up her mother’s makeup skills and Samuel here-” 

“Simon. My name is Simon!” 

“-has a hidden talent for special effects prosthetics and robotics,” Magnus continued as if Simon had never spoken. He dabbed at invisible tears at the corner of his eye and sniffed, “My babies are all grown up and conquering Hollywood.”

Clary rolled her eyes and batted Magnus’s shoulder as she rounded past his chair to greet Izzy. “You said your name was Isabelle?”

“Isabelle, Izzy. Either works,” Izzy replied with a shrug, holding her hand out to Clary. Izzy was used to women feeling threatened around her, so she was surprised when Clary bypassed her hand to pull her into a hug. 

Clary pulled back from the hug to brace both of her hands on Izzy’s shoulders. “If you can get Simon to turn into a bumbling idiot, I’m sure we’re going to get along just fine,” she said with a wink. “Also, I’m one of your main makeup artists.”

Izzy and Clary were going through draft makeup looks when Meliorn and Camille walked into the trailer. There was a quick round of introductions, but Magnus noticed that Alec was still staring into space, eyes half-lidded and groggy as he took robotic sips from his travel mug. Pressing a finger to his lips to signal the others to remain quiet, he perked up with a mischievous grin on his face. 

“Hey Alexander, looks like filming is going to be fun today. I’m the shy introvert and you’re the sexually experienced one.”

Alec grunted into his travel mug. “Am I making you all flustered and hitting on you non-stop?

Magnus flipped through the makeup portfolio look book in front of him, acting as if he was reading a script. “Hmm… oh! I get to lose my mind and slam you against a wall and kiss you.”

Alec slumped more comfortably in his seat, absently nodding along. He closed his eyes and tipped his head back, ignorant to the twitters and hushed laughter behind him. “Legs around hips or no?”

“Let’s play it by ear and see what the director thinks.”

Alec hummed his agreement, scrubbing a hand over his face. The hand paused as the gears in Alec’s head caught up with the conversation. He glared at Magnus between his fingers. “You bastard.”

Magnus lost it, arms wrapped around his stomach as if to hold in his rolling laughter and eyes crinkling in mirth. Behind him, Alec recognized the sound of his sister’s snort dissolving into near-crying laughter. Picking up a makeup sponge, he turned and it chucked at his sister. Izzy was turned to the side, wiping away tears from the corner of her eyes as she belated held up a hand to protect her from the makeup sponge onslaught. Next to Izzy, Clary had her lips pressed together in a thin, white line and Simon was staring between the two confused. 

“Wait,” Simon said, grabbing his reference script and flipping through it. “When are we supposed to have the two of you kissing?”

Magnus and Izzy redoubled in their laughter, this time with Clary joining in. Alec narrowed his eyes at all of them. “We’re not,” he deadpanned. “That was Magnus being a jackass.”

“But you make it so easy,” Magnus wheezed through his laughter with a sigh. “You’re notorious for doing things half-awake first thing in the morning. I couldn’t help it.”

Alec reached over to swat at Magnus, grimacing when he remained at of reach. In the mirror, he could see Meliorn taking in the scene with a bored look on his face as he made his way to his chair. Camille had a small smile on her face as if she was joining in on the fun, but her smile didn’t seem to reach her eyes. Instead, it was as if she was dissecting and cataloging every move between him and Magnus. Finding himself slightly uncomfortable underneath her gaze, he settled back into his chair.

Simon turned to Camille with a bright smile. “You’re Camille, right? I’m Simon. I’m going to be working with you the most because prosthetics and blood and throat slashing and eh, eh, eh.” He held out a hand for her to shake while he mimicked a knife slashing at his throat.

Camille flashed one last look in Alec and Magnus’s direction before turning to Simon with a tight smile. “A pleasure, I’m sure,” she replied without shaking his hand.

Simon floundered a moment at the snub before waving her to her seat with an embarrassed nod. He sent a  _ what the hell _ look to Clary before pulling out the makeup look book for Ms. Lavahey, giving Camille a run-down on how they were planning on building out the prosthetics and makeup for her character. 

A young woman with light brown skin and curls styled into a loose afro stepped into the makeup trailer holding a clipboard and looking she had just gotten off her shift at a biker bar. “Alec Lightwood?” she asked in a clipped voice, glancing over the edge of the clipboard. Alec raised his hand and she made her way over to him. Standing behind his chair, she talked to him through the mirror. “You’re up first for costume. I’m Maia. I’m in charge of hair.”

Alec appreciated the no-nonsense approach Maia had, much needed after Magnus’s morning prank. Maia set the clipboard down at the makeup station and eyeballed Alec before uncapping a bottle at random and rubbing the product in her hands. Coming to stand back behind him, she finger-combed the product from back to front. “So Aldertree wants Monroe to have a 5 o’clock shadow to help age you. Is this your normal morning stubble?”

“Ugh kinda?” Alec scratched at his chin. “I ran a razor over this morning, but left some stubble.”

“Alright. We’ll adjust closer to filming as needed.” Maia picked up a hair dryer and small, round brush, shaping Alec’s hair into something more than a sleep rumpled mess. Maia looked over at Magnus next to her. “Are you Bane?” At his nod, she said, “You’re up after this one.”

Alec drifted at the rhythmic tug and scratch of the brush running through his hair. Clary stopped by and when she was done with his makeup, his skin looked sun-worn and lightly bronzed, as would a normal detective’s skin would be. Alec was giving her mental kudos when Maia patted his shoulder. “All done. You look semi-respectable now.”

He looked this way and that in the mirror and had to agree with her. His hair had been tamed into a more formal cut with his bangs swept back, but artfully disrupted as if fingers had been running through them in frustration. “Thanks, Maia.”

Magnus watched him walk out of the makeup trailer, sending a bashful smile to his sister when she cat-called him as he passed by. His view of Alec’s backside was cut off by Maia sliding over with a devious grin as she moved to stand behind his chair. “Time to make the marvelous Magnus Bane mediocre.”

Magnus narrowed his eyes at her as she finger-combed back his bangs. “I’m not sure if that’s a compliment or an insult.”

“It’s a testament to my hair styling skills,” Maia quipped as she picked up a spray bottle to wet down his hair. “Now, time to make you unassuming as possible.”

* * *

 

Magnus stepped into the costuming warehouse, where racks and conveyor systems of clothing were held. He could hear Alec’s voice down a hallway and followed it. Inside a room, Alec stood against a white backdrop in dark slacks, a cotton button-down, and an assistant was tugging one jacket off of Alec’s shoulders while handing him the next to wear. Magnus could see the persona of Monroe coming to life, a detective who spent more time looking at case files and chasing suspects than to be worried about his clothing. 

Stepping into the room, he nodded at one of the assistants, who waved him over to a side table. “Name?”

“Magnus Bane.” Magnus had to hold back a chuckle. It was rare that people didn’t recognize who he was anymore. 

The assistant hovered a finger over character folders before they found his name. They pulled the folder closer to them, opening it up to the first page. Yanking a measuring tape off of their neck, they gestured for Magnus to hold his arms out. Quickly, professionally, and with the efficiency of a tailor, the measuring tape had been wrapped around all of Magnus from head to toe and the measurements noted in his costuming file. 

With an absent nod, Magnus was directed to a rack of clothing with his name on it. With an eagle-eyed precision, the assistant pulled a pastel plaid shirt, dark blue sweater vest, and  chinos, passing them off to him. Pointing to a set of doors on the other side of the room, they said, “Changing rooms are over there. Lightwood has claimed the last on the right. The others are open at the moment.”   
Magnus nodded and thanked them, heading to change into the clothes. Magnus had to give the assistant props as he changed into the clothes. They were stylish without being over assuming and lended to his character’s Clark Kent personality. If he was a man given to following a more masculine fashion, he would probably choose the same outfit. Walking out of the changing room, he was met with an empty studio, but could hear Alec rummaging around in his dressing room. 

The costuming assistant came to turn him around, tugging and pulling at the clothes to suit them. They ran a critical eye over everything before cocking their head slightly. “Do you wear glasses or contacts by any chance?”

Magnus shook his head. “Twenty/Twenty vision.”

“Hmm. We’ll do some test shots with and without glasses. Just to see if we like one look better than the other.”

Magnus shrugged his shoulders, not caring one way or the other when it came to eyewear. The assistant waved him in front of the camera set-up. There was a film camera, where the head costume designer was standing by jotting down notes, and a side table with a digital camera for reference stills. Magnus stood in front of the cameras and let the beginnings of Beau come to the forefront as he rolled his shoulders. A man who chased the stories of the rich and famous. Able to slip among them, but remain elusive. A web spinner, be it truth, lie, or caught somewhere in between. 

By the time they had done a series of test shots, with and without glasses, Alec was done with his next clothing change and waiting on the sidelines. When the Head Costume Designer gave her approval for Magnus to change into his next outfit, he sauntered over to Alec. 

“So tell me, Alexander, what do you think of Beau?” Magnus held out his arms and did a slow turn. When he came back round, Alec was tapping a finger against his chin in mock contemplation. 

“Much reporter. Very serious. 10 out of 10 approve,” he replied, nodding his head severely as possible before both of them broke up in laughter. 

Magnus was clapping his hand on Alec’s shoulder as he moved passed him when he saw Camille enter. The prosthetics around her neck had been blended into her skin and shaded in dark reds and mottled purples, but lacked any fake blood to make them look fresh. She looked more like an avenging ghost than a murder victim at the moment with her face tinted in blues and grays.  Magnus smiled in her direction. “Camille, you’re looking very dead. I must give Sheldon my complements.”

Camille shook her head bemusedly as she went to check in with the costuming assistant. In the changing room a new outfit of an oversized gray cardigan, faded red button-down, and jeans. He made a face at himself in the mirror before stepping out. Camille was nowhere to be seen, so he assumed she was changing. When he was handed a pair of black plastic, square-rimmed glasses, he couldn’t help groaning, but slipped them on regardless.

And that was how the rest of the day proceeded. Everyone switching between possible clothing changes and posing accordingly. By late afternoon everyone was tired as they made their way back into the makeup trailer. Camille, who had the least amount of costume changes, but the most makeup time needs, was already in her chair with Simon wiping away at her neck with spirit gum remover and a toothpick when Magnus and Alec stumbled in together.

Camille turned her head to look at them out of instinct and ended up getting pricked by Simon’s toothpick. She winced in pain while Simon floundered next to her, apologizing about not needing her to actually bleed as they had the fake stuff in the back. Camille rolled her as exasperatedly when Simon turned his back to her as he searched for a tissue, fumbling with various items at the station. He turned around with a tissue in his hand, a victorious grin on face. Camille only snatched it out of his hand with an exasperated sigh and applied pressure to where a thin drop of blood was welling up. 

Further down the trailer, Alec was thumbing through his phone, catching up on notifications throughout the day. Without looking up from the phone’s screen he asked, “Hey Magnus, did you received the schedule for SDCC next week?”

Next to him, Magnus hummed in agreement as he dug a thumb into a massage point at the base of his neck. “Yeah, Ragnor sent it to me last night with the usual spiel.” Magnus waved dismissively as he counted them off. “No spoilers, no streaking, no bringing fans back to the hotel room, no killing Blondie.”

Alec snorted at Magnus’s nickname for Jace. “Given I usually share a hotel room with you, I’d appreciate the no fans rule.”

“Figured you might,” Magnus retorted with a wink. He and Alec hung out comparing SDCC schedule until Izzy came to stop by her brother’s chair. 

“Ready to go?” Alec asked. At his sister’s nod, he turned to Magnus. “JAce and I pick you up on the way to the airport next week?”

“Sounds good.”

Alec nodded and then gathered his things. He and Izzy waved goodbye to everyone and headed out. Realizing he no longer had a reason to hang around as well, Magnus began gathering his things. As he made his way to leave, Camille stood up, neck devoid of all makeup.

“Heading out?” Magnus asked. 

“Uh, yes. It would appear so.” 

Magnus waved for her to go first, like the gentleman that he was. Once they stood at the steps leading up to the trailer, he asked, “Can I walk you back to your car, madame?” Magnus offered an elbow to Camille and she gladly took it, leaning into his side as they made their way across the production lot. 

“So, this morning... do you and Alec often have conversations like that?” she asked. Magnus could hear the playfulness she tried to insert into her voice, but her body was tense against his. Wanting to reassure her, he slipped his arm from underneath her hand to wrap around her shoulders, rubbing here shoulder with his thumb.

“Do you mean do I always try to goad Alec first thing in the morning?” He sent her a sly smile. “Yes.”

Camille turned her body toward him, but didn’t steady herself by wrapping an arm around his waist. Her head was downturned as she watched their feet walk in tandem. Hesitantly, she continued, “But, are you so familiar with all of your castmates?”

“Hmm?” Magnus gently pulled her to a stop, tipping her face up so he could better read her emotions. Brushing an errant lock of blonde hair out of her eyes, he said, “I try to have good relationships with anyone I work with, but I have a feeling that you're trying to infer something else. We are both actors, Camille. Never try to outact a fellow actor.”

Camille huffed with a roll of her eyes as she crossed her arms across her chest. When her gaze landed back on him, the cautious innocence had been replaced with smirking glee. Camille had been caught in her own game. “Very well, Magnus. I like you. More than just as a castmate. And I think you like me. Just as much.”

Magnus stepped closer into her space, cupping her cheek. “Of course I do.”

When he moved in for a kiss, Camille stopped him with a hand on his chest. “But-” when Magnus quirked an eyebrow at the sharpness of her voice, she continued in a softer voice, “but I want to make sure that there isn’t any residual feelings between you and Lightwood. If we-”

This time Camille was cut off as Magnus threw back his head and laughed. His entire body shook with it as he pinched the bridge of his nose trying to contain it. Once he could breathe deeply enough to speak between his rolling chuckles, he corrected her. “Alec and I are just friends Camille. Yes, we’ve played lovers in other films, but we’ve never -  _ never _ \- have been lovers off screen. We are affectionate with each other, but only in the way that comes from working closely with each other and being friends over a long period of time.”

“So I don’t have anything to worry about?” Magnus shook his head. “Even when the two of you go to SDCC next week?”

“Even then.” he moved closer and then paused. “Well…. Maybe. We may play some things up for fans, but otherwise no.”

“So the two of you won’t be doing this?”

“Doing wha-”

Magnus stopped thinking the moment Camille’s lips touched his. Once his brain got the message about what was happening, he closed his eyes and pulled her closer. Camille took over senses. All he could smell was the light floral scent of her perfume, all he could taste was her lip gloss and his chapstick blending as their lips and tongues danced, the heat of her seeped into his skin, and his ears were focused on every catch of her breath and small moan that he pulled from her. When Camille pulled back  with a wicked grin as she sucked her bottom lip, chasing the lingering taste of their kiss, Magnus fought to remind his lungs what breathing was. 

“Well?”

Magnus chuckled deep in his throat as he dipped his head to steal his own kiss. When he pulled back, he whispered against her lips darkly, “No, we won’t be doing this.”

Camille’s eyes darted back and forth between his, searching for something. Once she found it, she pressed her lips against his quickly. “Good.” She pulled away from Magnus’s arms, trailing her fingers down his chest and then back up to his arms, until the only thing connecting them were the tips of their fingers. Camille turned and continued her way to her car. Throwing a saucy grin over her shoulder, she asked, “Coming?”

Magnus brushed a thumb over his lips. Smiling to himself, he followed Camille where ever she led.

  
  
  


**Notes for the Chapter:**

> And now we're SDCC bound! which have been some of the most fun chapters to write so far. Please no one kill me for the Camille kiss. Remember we are all happy because Season 3 is on the horizon. 
> 
> As always hit the subscribe button, leave kudos and comments, or come scream at me on [Tumblr](https://bcnedrah.tumblr.com) .

**Author's Note:**

> So the next chapter will be focusing on Magnus! 
> 
> I'll be on a two week posting schedule as the chapters are averaging out to be ~3.5K each! So be sure to hit that subscribe button! 
> 
> You can also follow along for updates on my Tumblr page [@bcnedrah](https://bcnedrah.tumblr.com/)
> 
> Let me know what you think!


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